Michael, as far as the dentist goes, don't just go to your local dentist unless you KNOW he has experience treating people with head and neck cancer pre and post radiation. It's hard to get a dentist that's part of a H&N cancer team to see you un;less you've soigned on there for the whole of treatment. or this has been my experience.

I had to ask around to find the right dentist in this town. Fortuntely, my ENT knew of a guy who has treated other poeple who went through rad (he was also recommended to me by other folks as well)and even more fortunately, he is freinds with the ENT so, even though he's so booked he isn't accepting new pts, he was willing to see me on very short notice and pull two teeth that I knew would need pulling before rad. You're right you do need to get that done soon but it's woerth going to someone who will really look carefully at all your other teeth as well and who you can go to for follow-up after and you won't have to fight to get in to see them quickly.